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THE ROGERS ALLERS LEGACY SCHOLARSHIP AWARD 2026
Description and Overview
The Roger Allers Scholarship Award honors the legacy of a visionary storyteller whose work has shaped generations through the power of animation, music, and narrative. Best known for co-directing The Lion King and helping bring to life its unforgettable emotional and musical landscape, Roger Allers exemplifies the art of storytelling that transcends medium.
This scholarship celebrates emerging artists who embody that same spirit—those who see story not just as structure, but as a living, breathing experience. Supporting disciplines in Directing, Storyboarding, and Librettist writing, the award recognizes creators who understand how image, performance, and music intertwine to create meaning and move audiences.
Recipients of the Roger Allers Scholarship Awardare artists who:
- Lead with vision and heart in their storytelling
- Demonstrate a deep understanding of visual narrative and cinematic language
- Embrace the lyrical and emotional power of words, music, and performance
- Seek to bring beauty, humanity, and connection into the world through their work
In the spirit of Roger Allers, this scholarship uplifts artists who are not only crafting stories—but shaping experiences that resonate across cultures and generations. It is an investment in voices that dare to imagine, collaborate, and inspire.
2026 Applications
DIRECTor AWARD: MEET YOUR MENTORS
DIRECTOR TRACK
Submit a completed short film or WIP Animatic or Story Reel. (must be 2D hand-drawn animation, 3D animation, claymation, stop motion, or other animated medium). Include a short selfie video about your previous training and experience in this field and why this opportunity matters to you.
John Musker
John Musker is an American animator and filmmaker. He often collaborates with fellow director Ron Clements and is best known for writing and directing the Disney animated films The Great Mouse Detective, The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, Hercules, Treasure Planet, The Princess and the Frog, and Moana.
Kirk Wise
Kirk Wise is an American film director, animator and screenwriter best known for his work at Walt Disney Animation Studios. Wise has directed Disney animated films such as Beauty and the Beast, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and Atlantis: The Lost Empire.
StORY Artist AWARD: MEET YOUR MENTORS
STORY TRACK
Submit a drawing portfolio and a fully boarded sequence from a script, or book. List your source material. (Boards must be an original visualization- no copied shots from pre-existing film material). Include a short selfie video about your previous training and experience in this field and why this opportunity matters to you.
Brenda Chapman
Brenda Chapman is an American animator, screenwriter, storyboard artist, and director. In 1998, she became the first woman to direct an animated feature from a major studio, DreamWorks Animation's The Prince of Egypt. In 2012, she directed the Disney/Pixar film Brave with Mark Andrews, becoming the first woman to win the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.
Gary Trousdale
Gary Trousdale is an American animator, film director, screenwriter and storyboard artist. He is best known for directing films such as Beauty and the Beast, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and Atlantis: The Lost Empire. He frequently works with Kirk Wise and Don Hahn.
LIBRETTIST AWARD: MEET YOUR MENTORS
LIBRETTIST
Submit 2 contrasting samples of your work in PDF form (between 10 to 25 pages). Include a brief synopsis of your work, (150 words max), a list of source material, dropbox link of demo / track listing (if applicable), and a short selfie video about your previous training and experience in this field and why this opportunity matters to you.
Tim Rice
Sir Timothy Miles Bindon Rice is an English songwriter. He is best known for his collaborations with Andrew Lloyd Webber, with whom he wrote, among other shows, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Jesus Christ Superstar, and Evita; Chess (with Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson of ABBA); Aida (with Elton John); and, for Disney, Aladdin (with Alan Menken), The Lion King , and the stage adaptation of Beauty and the Beast . He also wrote lyrics for the Alan Menken musical King David, and for DreamWorks Animation's The Road to El Dorado .
Ken Cerniglia
Ken Cerniglia as a resident dramaturg and literary manager for Disney Theatrical Productions for 16 years, he developed over 70 stage titles for Broadway, touring, international, and licensed productions, including The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Freaky Friday, Aladdin, Newsies, The Little Mermaid, High School Musical, Tarzan, and Marvel Spotlight Plays, and edited two official Broadway “making of” books, Peter and the Starcatcher: The Annotated Broadway Play and Newsies: Stories of the Unlikely Broadway Hit.
PATRONS
Full Scholarship Awards
Partial with Distinction Scholarship Awards
Partial with Distinction Scholarship Awards
- 5-10 Personal one-on-one Zoom Critiques.
- The number of one-on-one sessions is subject to change based on Pro's schedule.
- Study program over the course of 5 months
- Cash Award
- Multiple resources in a Treasure Chest of supplies TBA
- Complimentary 4-day Premiere ticket to CTNX26
- Exclusive Group In-Person Meetup at CTNX26
- Award Ceremony at CTNX26
- 5-10 Personal one-on-one Zoom Critiques.
- The number of one-on-one sessions is subject to change based on Pro's schedule.
- Study program over the course of 5 months
- Cash Award
- Multiple resources in a Treasure Chest of supplies TBA
- Complimentary 4-day Premiere ticket to CTNX26
- Exclusive Group In-Person Meetup at CTNX26
- Award Ceremony at CTNX26
- Award is non-refundable and non-transferable.
- Award subject to change. More awards may be added.
Partial with Distinction Scholarship Awards
Partial with Distinction Scholarship Awards
Partial with Distinction Scholarship Awards
- 3-4 virtual group meetings
- Multiple resources in a Treasure Chest of supplies TBA
- Complimentary 4-day Basic ticket to CTNX26
- Exclusive Group In-Person Meetup at CTNX26
- Award Ceremony at CTNX26
- Award is non-refundable and non-transferable.
- Award subject to change. More awards may be added.
Partial Scholarship Awards
Partial Scholarship Awards
Partial Scholarship Awards
- One virtual group meeting
- Multiple resources in a Treasure Chest of supplies TBA
- Complimentary 4-day Basic ticket to CTNX26
- Exclusive Group In-Person Meetup at CTNX26
- Award Ceremony at CTNX26
- Award is non-refundable and non-transferable.
- Award subject to change. More awards may be added.
Honorable Mentions
Partial Scholarship Awards
Partial Scholarship Awards
- Complimentary 1-day Walk Around ticket to CTNX26
- More Awards Announced TBA
- Exclusive Group In-Person Meetup at CTNX26
- Award Ceremony at CTNX26
- Award subject to change. More awards may be added.
ROGER ALLERS (1949-2026)
ROGER ALLERS directed the original 1994 animated worldwide phenomenon and Disney Classic, The Lion King. He is responsible for the idea of using the African phrase "Hakuna Matata" for Timon and Pumbaa's song, as well as the concept of "The Circle of Life" for the opening number of the movie. He later received a 1998 Tony nomination for adapting his film to the stage for The Lion King Broadway musical.
A driving force of Disney’s Renaissance era of the 1980s and 1990s, Allers served as Head of Story on Beauty and the Beast, shaping pivotal scenes such as “Belle”, Be Our Guest”, and the “Beauty and the Beast” ballroom scene. As Story Artist on The Little Mermaid, Allers created iconic moments including “Part of Your World,” “Poor Unfortunate Souls,” and “Kiss the Girl.” He was Head of Story on Oliver and Company and contributed Story on Aladdin and The Rescuers Down Under, as well as Concept Design on the groundbreaking cult classic film TRON.
Mr. Allers earned an Academy Award–nomination for directing the short film, The Little Matchgirl for Disney, and went on to direct Open Season, the very first animated feature from Sony Pictures Animation, and wrote and directed The Prophet, adapted from the beloved book of philosophical poetry by Khalil Gibran.
